Leaves the fruit courses, we hear (7)
I believe the answer is:
deserts
'leaves the fruit' is the definition.
'deserts' can be an answer for 'leaves' (to desert someone is to leave them). I'm unsure of the 'the fruit' bit.
'courses we hear' is the wordplay.
'courses' becomes 'desserts' (dessert is a kind of course).
'we hear' shows a homophone (sound like).
'desserts' is a homophone of 'DESERTS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for deserts that I've seen before include "Leaves" , "Sahara and Gobi" , "They may be just" , "Abandons, forsakes" , "uncultivated regions" .)